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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23316679">Free</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lozza342/pseuds/Lozza342'>Lozza342</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday, Birthday Presents, Crying, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Skirts, gender euphoria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:22:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,990</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23316679</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lozza342/pseuds/Lozza342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kindaichi was going to die. He wasn't the most relaxed person, anyway, but knowing what exactly Kunimi held in their hands while they didn't? His nerves coiled around in his gut, forced his throat to flare as if he was going to throw up. Swallowing around too much air, Kindaichi watched Kunimi turn over the present curiously, fingering the tidy ribbon and the plain wrapping paper.</p>
<p>"Sorry it's early…" Kindaichi said, just to break the silence, scratching his burning cheek. "I just… wanted to give it to you privately and didn't want to give it to you late, either…"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Free</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I was so nervous about posting this so please be kind!</p>
<p>For Kunimi's birthday, because they deserve all the nice things</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kindaichi was going to die. He wasn't the most relaxed person, anyway, but knowing what exactly Kunimi held in their hands while they didn't? His nerves coiled around in his gut, forced his throat to flare as if he was going to throw up. Swallowing around too much air, Kindaichi watched Kunimi turn over the present curiously, fingering the tidy ribbon and the plain wrapping paper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry it's early…" Kindaichi said, just to break the silence, scratching his burning cheek. "I just… wanted to give it to you privately and didn't want to give it to you late, either…" He explained, tight throat making his words undulate with the beating of his heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was clothing, that was easy to figure out. As a rule, Kunimi tried not to look too excited when given presents from Kindaichi, so their lips were heavily downturned. Though Kindaichi seemed to be vibrating with nerves - or excitement, Kunimi couldn't tell - for once his face was neutral, and it was so unlike him that it made Kunimi feel that much more uneasy. "You really think I’m gonna hate it, huh?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi wasn’t the most curious of people, and next to Kindaichi, it showed, and yet right now they were</span>
  <em>
    <span> infinitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> curious. Even the look that crossed Kindaichi’s face growing pale, like Kunimi was spot on, didn’t help their curiosity even a little. “No-! It’s just- Just… open it… please?” Kindaichi asked, hands wringing furiously. Sat opposite each other on Kunimi’s bed, Kindaichi watched delicate fingers undo the knot of ribbon of a somewhat scruffy bow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Kindaichi’s heart went any faster, he was sure he would die, folding his hands together in his lap to keep himself from visibly shaking. A mantra repeated in his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t hate it, please don’t hate it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was the most difficult present to get, after all his years of giving Kunimi simple things like flowers and chocolate caramels, this was the big one. For eighteen, surely he had to outdo himself after so long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there Kunimi was, prying apart the wrapping paper to reveal the result of all of Kindaichi’s stressful hours of researching and browsing, avoiding judgemental looks and shop assistants asking who the lucky girl was. A soft pastel blue with bold reds and pinks in a floral design peeked from the brown paper and instantly lit up in Kunimi's eyes, the reflection pristine. "Yuutarou…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kindaichi bit his lip, leaning forward to get another look at it. "I can… take it back, if you don't want it…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Talk about being hasty… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, from the bow, Kunimi had a pretty good idea what it was; even then it was hard to keep tears at bay, threatening the backs of their eyes. Kunimi ran their fingers over the fabric, feeling nothing but soft cotton, and when they finally held it up, intentionally obscuring Kindaichi's face, Kunimi gave in. Their breath hitching, Kunimi covered their mouth with a hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi laughed softly, sniffling with their breath in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a skirt, complete with sweeping pleats and bow, long enough to reach just above their knees. Too busy drinking in how utterly beautiful it was, Kunimi didn't notice Kindaichi shifting on the bed until his face appeared above the waistband, at which point they were too far gone to pretend not to cry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stomach dropping seeing Kunimi's face so wet with tears, Kindaichi feared the inevitable. "Shit…" He said, biting his lip angrily at himself. "I knew I should've-" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi didn't let him think any further than that, dropping the skirt between them and hastily curving a hand around the back of Kindaichi's head. They surged up to the lips bitten in Kindaichi's mouth, shutting up his insecurities and forcing him to fall backwards with the motion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hearts beating rapidly against each other's chest, Kunimi took away any thoughts Kindaichi had about the present - and hopefully anything else he worried about - replacing them with nothing but heat. At least, that's what they hoped, as they tightened fingers in his hair, waiting for the retaliation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It came, of course it came, a soft, careful slide of a hand at Kunimi's hip, sliding up under their shirt to lie flat against the small of their back, a warm, welcoming weight. They were welcome there, straddling Kindaichi's waist and taking his mouth as they pleased. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, Kunimi would've been disappointed had they not been welcome, even despite being conscious of the skirt crumpled between them. Pulling back, Kindaichi's face was painted red, wet with Kunimi's tears. They stroked thumbs over his cheeks in apology, but Kindaichi didn't seem to notice, staring at Kunimi's face with wide, blown pupils. "You… like it?" Kindaichi asked, and Kunimi couldn't stop themselves laughing, batting Kindaichi's chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you think, idiot." Kunimi chuckled, shoulders shaking, and right in that moment, above Kindaichi, teary crescent eyes, cheeks pink and wet and lips red, Kunimi was the most beautiful person in the world. Running his tongue over his own lips, tasting faint salt, Kindaichi ran his thumb in circles at Kunimi's back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a relief. "I'm… so glad you like it, it took me so long to find one you'd like, and… the ones I found were all a little… boring, because-" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Shut up, Yuutarou." Kunimi said, and it was all that was needed for Kindaichi to do so, ducking his head down bashfully, "It's the best present I've ever had… thank you, I'm… just… overwhelmed." They admitted, raking hands down Kindaichi's body back to the skirt to feel it again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh crap, I didn't mean it to be any pressure!" He leaned up, keeping one hand on Kunimi's back. Except, Kunimi didn't let him up, keeping him pinned on the bed with his hips. "I'm sorry… You never have to wear it if you don't want to!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that was the one thing that Kunimi hadn't thought about yet. They hadn't ever worn a skirt before, hadn't ever thought they would. It had been a fleeting thought when they first mentioned it to Kindaichi, but it had been growing in intensity ever since. They so desperately desired to know how it felt to finally be free…  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wow… free, huh? So maybe it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a big deal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't move, Yuutarou." Kunimi said, pressing a palm to Kindaichi's chest to reiterate, making sure he lay back flat on the bed. "Close your eyes. Don't you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span> think about peeking." They warned, a reassuring glint in their eye telling him they knew Kindaichi would never do such a thing anyway. They made sure Kindaichi's eyes were closed, watching a blush rise on his cheeks in anticipation before they climbed off of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They felt comfortable watching Kindaichi unmoving on his bed, eyes closed and still like they had asked. There was silence, it was so obvious that they were stalling, but Kunimi wanted to show Kindaichi that they wanted to wear it, because they </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And that was all the thinking they needed to do before pulling down their sweats, gingerly stepping out of them. They looked at their legs, glad they had shaved them so they were soft, smooth where they trailed fingers over their thigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a breath, and another few, in and out, Kunimi turned the skirt around in their hands, pulled down the zip at the side - although they frequently told themselves it wasn't necessary, they don't have hips - and bent down, holding it open to step into it. Somehow they felt themselves losing balance even when they were perfectly steady on their foot, even when they were standing on both feet again, arms shaking from the barely-there weight of the skirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To relieve themselves of the tremble in their arms, Kunimi pulled the skirt up over their flat hips. To their surprise, it wasn't loose. In fact, it felt snug against them at their waist, even more so when zipping it up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi bit their lip, looking down at themselves as they kicked out a leg, able to see a faintly bruised knee below the blue. But it wasn't like wearing their shorts, tight fabric around their thighs, no, the fabric tickled at the skin of their thighs, falling so lightly against them. Kunimi wanted to cry again, they wanted to sob at how </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span> it felt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Running their hands over the skirt, Kunimi's fingers lightly traced the curves, feeling the brush against their palms. They couldn't help but tear up, curling their hands in fists. Stupid, how stupid, to get so worked up over something that should be so simple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi reasons that it's the sentiment of the gift, the amount of thought and effort and embarrassment Kindaichi put himself through to get it for them that caused the tears to fall from their lashes as they looked back up. Kindaichi still hadn't moved, so patient it was unlike him. Let him wait. He would wait all the time in the world if it was for Kunimi, they knew. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi took their time, turning once, catching a glimpse of themselves in the mirror that they refused to look in. It was an impossible feat, however, the vivid blue flashed quickly in their eyes, drawing their gaze to the skirt and it was</span>
  <em>
    <span> beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> were beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gaze wandering from the focus on their present up over their body to their face, they'd never felt so different. They could see themselves blushing underneath streams of tears, having to duck their head to stop looking. They could stare at themselves for ages. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was only one last problem. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi's shirt was unflattering compared to their skirt. They really needed to get a top to match, maybe something that showed off their midriff…Kunimi shook their head violently at the thought causing their body heat to skyrocket. Taking the hem of their shirt to tuck it in instead, Kunimi slid fingers around the smooth waistband. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So deep in thought, heart hammering and body tense, Kindaichi jumped when finally Kunimi made a sound, jolting him out of his trembling state. "Yuutarou…" Kunimi said quietly, hesitantly. "You… can look." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kindaichi wanted to jump up to do so, but his heart jumped into his throat, threatening to choke him should he move faster. So slowly, he sat up, eyes fluttering open with such difficulty considering his excitement. He didn't know if it was the heat in the room, or how stiff his body was, but he made the effort and it was worth it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because standing in front of him was an angel. Teary-eyed and exhausted, but an </span>
  <em>
    <span>angel</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Kindaichi couldn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Akira…" He said, and they shivered, folding their hands behind themselves nervously. They were blushing, pink running down their neck, and Kindaichi imagined their chest, too. He couldn't say anything else, throat dry and teasing him to say something that he knew would crack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi cast their eyes down bashfully, reddening at the silent scrutiny. Kindaichi adored it, the way their hair fell in front of their face, how their hands curled into the fabric of the skirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a defensive pose, an awkward pose, unlike them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were feeling vulnerable, exposed, and it was Kindaichi's job to rid those feelings from them. Kunimi should never feel those things, not as long as Kindaichi was there. So he quashed his own insecurities, the simple fear of his voice cracking. He was a normal teenager with normal issues, but Kunimi? Kunimi was battling something far more complicated and confusing and draining than Kindaichi could ever imagine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Large hands cupped Kunimi's cheeks for a moment before sliding around their neck, Kindaichi draping his arms around their shoulders to hug them gently against him. "You're so beautiful, Akira…" Kindaichi whispered, tucking his head by their ear, "I knew it would suit you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kunimi blushed, slinking their arms around his waist and soaking in his warmth. "Thank you, Yuutarou…" They whispered back, "I love it. I love you."</span>
</p>
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